Police: Shooting suspect was out on parole for aggravated murder

Suspect David Fields. Photo courtesy of Orange Village Police Department.

ORANGE VILLAGE -- Police say the man suspected of a shooting Thursday morning in a hotel parking lot had been out on parole after serving 30 years for aggravated murder.

The suspect has been identified as 59-year-old David Fields of Cleveland.

Orange Village Police say he will be charged with felonious assault and aggravated robbery, among other charges, connected to Thursday morning's incident.

Police say the shooting victim had been in the driver's seat of her SUV in the parking lot of a Courtyard Marriott hotel when the suspect approached. They say he opened fire with a bb gun and tried to take her purse.

The suspect then ran across the street, where he was taken into custody in a wooded area behind Fairfield Inn Hotel and Suites after being tracked by police K-9s. He had reportedly tried to flee the scene in his vehicle, but it was locked.

"He said times were tough, he was trying to make due, and unable to do so," said Lt. O'Callahan of the suspect's motive.

Police say the victim has five bbs lodged in her head and face. Lt. Patrick O'Callahan says the bb gun appeared to be a black handgun, and witnesses reported hearing the shots fired. Police recovered the weapon in the brush where Fields was found.

"[The victim] made a ruckus which got some attention of a worker who was out shoveling," said O'Callahan, praising her ability to fight back by getting help.

Neighboring departments, including Solon, Beachwood, and Woodmere, also responded to the scene with K-9 units.

Multiple hotels on Orange Place were placed on lockdown at the time of the search.

"Stay in the room, stay away from windows, keep door locked," said Joe Trobenter, a hotel guest, of the lockdown instructions.

He says he wasn't sure what was happening, but everyone tried to cooperate immediately. "In the wake of all these other things going on, it's better to stay hunkered down until the coast is clear," he said, speaking about recent tragedies in Newtown, Connecticut and Webster, New York.

LifeFlight was called to the scene and transported shooting victim to a nearby hospital where authorities say she might be released later today.